


What Bartenders Learn

by Azreael



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-09-14
Updated: 2014-03-28
Packaged: 2017-11-14 04:44:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/511449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azreael/pseuds/Azreael
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur is a bar tender. Five times Ariadne comes in and gets drunk and one time Arthur does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Time

His bar didn't fit it. It was run down and old. It didn't fit in with the other posh New York City restaurants that surrounded it. There were two types of people. There were the people who passed it looked away in disgust because they would never be seen in a bar like his and the people who stumbled in drunk. He only has a few regulars that come in for a drink avery once in a while but not a lot. The green plaid wall paper was pealing and the floor was crooked and it creaked. He only had the bar with stools and a few old wooden tables and chairs. He didn't get very much business besides the drunks and he was okay with that.

Being a bar tender there wasn't much Arthur didn't know. Most people that stumble into his bar are already drunk or very well on their way. If there is one thing he has learned over the years of being a bar tender is that when people are drunk, they like to do two things, talk and cry. He has seen a lot over the years. People coming to get drunk over boyfriends, over girlfriends, children, jobs, hate, and a lot of gossip. In the end though it is all the same. Arthur doesn't care about any of it. He didn't care about any of it, until she came along.

He remembers the first night she walked in perfectly. It was pouring rain out and when she walked in she looked like a wet dog. When she stumbled over to the bar he wasn't expecting anything other than the usual rant. He is usually pretty good about telling what they are here for. For her he guessed hr boyfriend dumped her. That is what most of them are in here for.

When she walked in she managed to stumble over to the bar and hop onto the stool on front of him. Again, the usual.

"I can't believe it! I can't bloody believe it!"

She looks at him expectantly. He knows better than to say anything. If he says something, they will expect something from him other than a drink. He doesn't like dealing with them. He learned a long time ago it isn't worth his time or energy.

"Keys please?" he hold out his hand expectantly.

"I walked," she slurred.

He let his hand fall. She just stared at him, not saying anything. This went on for about thirty seconds before he looked down embarrassed. It felt as if she could see right through him. As if she knew all his darkest secrets. He mentally chastised himself. She is just another drunk customer. She will leave tonight after a few drinks and he will never see her again. He can't let himself feel anything.

"Can i tell you something?"

He shrugged. Usually people didn't ask, they just talked. Either way he didn't pay much attention. It wasn't worth his time. They were just the same stories over and over. The world isn't a very unique place.

"I can't believe that he did this to me!" Definitely boyfriend, "He just had to go die on me!"

This shocked him. Most people that came in didn't talk about death.

"He left me with his fucking mess. Six bloody girlfriends and two love children! Who the hell does he think i am? Bloody Mary Poppins?"

His rules never failed him before. The consisted of never interrupt someone on a rant, never answer to them, and never to care. For five years he has been able to follow these rules without any issue. For some reason now, he was tempted to break all of them. There is just something about her that is different. He just can't quite put his finger on it.

He didn't realize that she had stopped talking. She looked at him expectantly but what was he supposed to say? There was something in her eyes though that he couldn't quite tell what it was that convinced him to break his second rule.

"i am sorry for the loss of your boyfriend."

She actually laughed. Arthur just stared at her perplexed. He shifted uncomfortably. "He wasn't my boyfriend," she managed between laughing and the odd sob, "he was my father."

This only confused him more. Why was she laughing, oh yeah she is drunk. Then it dawned on him. Her father died and left this weak young lady on front of him to clean it up. He mentally slapped himself. How could he have been so stupid? He mentally slapped himself twice. Why the hell was he getting himself into this. He doesn't even know the girl. The third rule came to hi mind, never care, yet he found himself caring. Why would any father leave all of this on his daughter shoulders? It wasn't fair, but when is the world ever fair?

Then the tears started to fall as if on cue. "It isn't fair. Why the hell was this put on me. I wasn't the one who runs a corrupt business. Im not the one who couldn't pick and chose their relationships, and i am definitely not the one who had two love children then abandoned them! What the hell is wrong with this world?" she yelled.

Then they really started falling. "It isn't fair. All he ever gave me were the scares on my back and this is what he leaves me?"

Arthur sighed. It was time to get her home.

"Ah miss...?"

"Ariadne. My name is Ariadne." she sniffled.

"Well Ariadne i am going to call a cab to take you home."

"Uh, uh okay." she hiccuped.

He walked around to the other side of the bar and took her arm and helped her off of the stool. He walked across the bar with her attracting a lot of stares from his regulars. They all know he never doesn't anything like this. He brought her out side and hailed her a cab. He opened the door for her and sat her down.

"Th-th-thank you."

"No problem Ariadne." he was about to close the door but he could leave her this way, she was lost. "Ariadne everything is going to be alright. You are a strong young woman and you will work everything out and go on with your life."

The smile she gave him almost made his heart stop. "Thank you..?"

"Arthur."

"Thank you Arthur. I hope you mean that."

"I do."

She pulled the cab door closed and drove off. He watched the cab until he couldn't see it anymore. He liked her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A second meeting.

He honestly never thought that he would see her again. They never did with people like her. People like her were just passing through town. The came in to drink away their problems then left. That was where all of his business came from. Why would anyone want to stay in this dump of a neighborhood anyways? Definitely not a girl like her who never had to deal with problems before and definitely never had to worry about money.

Even though he knew he was never going to see her again here was a small little part of his mind that looked for her every night and felt the twang of sadness when she never came. No, she would never come here again. She would only live in his memory.

He finally had started to let go. With that fact in mind, that night, he never noticed a young, petite, brown hair, brown eyed, woman walk into his establishment that night.

It was a slow Tuesday night. Only his regulars were in so he never noticed her sit down at his bar. No, it took a little joking at his expense by one of his regulars, Bones.

"Hey Artie old boy! Bill?"

He produced the man's check and handed it to him. "The usual Bones." After his revelation, Arthur was particularly glum tonight.

"Artie! Are just going to let this young woman sit here without a drink? Get her something before you scare her away with your downright awful mood. Really man, get a grip!"

The second Bones said young woman his head snapped up. It couldn't be her could- "Really Arthur," Bones' talking snapped him out of his thoughts, "get her a drink on the house before I do it for you."

It was her. She was here at his bar, and not drunk. She came here by choice. And she has been sitting at my bar for who knows how long and I didn't notice her. What the hell is wrong with me?

This was all happening too fast for him. Yes he had been hoping every night since she first stumbled upon his establishment that she would see her again but he never actually expected to. He wasn't prepared. Why did she suddenly mean so much to him? By all counts she was just another customer, nothing special. She had come in, already drunk, and told him her story and left, but for some reason he just couldn't let her go like he knew he should. And now, she is here again. Why is she affecting him so much?

This was too much for Arthur's mind to process in such a short amount of time. First thing that he had to do now was get Bones out.

"Bones, pay and get out," he said sourly.

"Whoa there man, chill. Here is your money," he turned to Ariadne, "and if he is anything but the best to you I am here every Tuesday so come and tell me and I will deal with him."

She laughed, "I will be sure."

"Bye Bones." An annoyed Arthur said, "see you next week."

"Be sure of it," he said before walking out of the bar. Finally, he was finally alone with her. No one to butt in on their time.

"What can I get you?"

"Anything with vodka," she demanded.

"Rough time?"

She laughed sadly. "More often than not."

"Vodka Tonic it is."

She sat quietly and watched as he mixed her drink. He didn't rush. The faster he was, the faster she left. He gave her the drink

"What made you come back here?" The words tumbling out of his mouth before even thinking about it.

She shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe other bartenders aren't as nice as the ones here." She paused, "or maybe I just wanted to see you."

His breath caught in his throat. She noticed and cleared her throat.

"I mean," she coughed, "You're nicer than everyone else. You care. Before I came to your bar last time I was at this bar down the street. The bar tender seemed to be drunk himself. Is that even legal?"

"Ah. You must have been in Eames' bar. Yes I know what you mean. He is the partying type himself. Is that where you got drunk before you came here?"

A deep red made its way up her neck and to her face. "You caught me. He does make his drinks very strong."

"Ha. Tell me about it." He sighed. "What brings you here this time?"

She brought her drink to her mouth. Uh oh. Did he over step the boundaries? Maybe she didn't come here to talk to him? And why does that hurt so much?

"Caught my boyfriend cheating on me, in my flat."

She is single. He shouldn't be so happy considering she just caught him cheating. They may not even break up but she doesn't seem like the type to stick with a guy like that. She doesn't deserve a guy like that. She deserves a guy like me.

"That's a killer."

"Tell me about it. Do you want to know that worst part?" she didn't wait for him to answer. "It was with my sister, my own bloody sister. Not the first time that's happened."

She slammed her empty glass onto the counter. "More please."

She kept talking to seemingly nobody while he mixed her another drink. "I mean, I understand John, he was a player and I was going to dump his lazy ass anyways." She took the drink he put on front of her and took turns talking and chugging. "Yusuf was clearly gay so I don't even know what happened there. But Jake, I loved him, or I thought I did. Is Ellen really that much prettier than I am? She definitely isn't smarter than I am. I'm sorry. I'm ranting again aren't I?"

"No one can be more beautiful than you."

She smiled. "Thanks for trying to make me feel better. Aw damn it!" she suddenly yelled. Arthur jumped a little, "I forgot to get his key back. Who the hell knows what he is going to do with that?"

"I can help you with him if you need it."

"Oh it doesn't matter. I'll have the realtor deal with it."

Then it hit him. She doesn't live here. What was she doing here? "What brings you here then?"

"I just graduated from grad school in Paris and after what happened I am selling my flat and moving her to find work. I want to get away from there. I used to love it there but…" she let her sentence drift off.

"Anyways I best be going. Not good to be too hung over for my job interview tomorrow. Can you get me a cab?"

"Sure." They both walked out of the bar together. She had been the only one left for the night so he didn't have to worry about leaving him liquor unattended. He flagged her a cab. He opened the door and helped her in. "You'll have to come by sometime and tell me how job hunting is going."

"I would like that."

"See you soon then."

She smiled. "Soon it is."

He closed the door and watched the cab drive away. Soon it is. Why did that make him so happy?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really haven't written anything on this story in a couple of years. It also has not been edited since then.This is the last chapter I have written for it that I for some reason never posted on here. I think eventually I will write some more of it and hopefully finish but I'm not sure when.

**Author's Note:**

> I have the first two chapters written. The second will be up in the next few days. I hoped you liked it.


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